Pray Always

Last week I attended the funeral of my friend's father. He was a mechanic, so during the eulogy his daughter shared how, once one of them was planning to drive up the highway, he would tell them to check their water and oil. I don't make this a habit, since I am fairly confident in my car's health as I carry it for an oil change every 5000km and a check up at 3 month intervals. However for the past few days I have been driving Mummy's car, and I had no idea of when last it was serviced.

On Friday, I started hearing a strange sound in the engine while I was driving. My friend enquired what it was, but I told her it better not be anything serious because I had to head up north early Saturday morning and I didn't have time to check it out before then. My plan was to leave home at 5:30am on Saturday, and in the rush of getting things organized to leave, the thought from the funeral about my friend's father telling them to check their water and oil came to my mind very strongly so I decided to check mine.

This is what you see when you pop the bonnet

Now for anyone who has had experience with a Serena, you would know that the engine is very compact and there is not much room to move around. Mummy's own is a bit tighter, as it also caterers for the parts for the CNG system. I removed the cover for the radiator. There was nothing. The reservoir was also empty. I started thanking God one time that I had followed the prompting of the Holy Spirit to check it before I left because by the time I reached halfway up the highway and the engine started to overheat that would have been another story. I was unable to locate the dipstick to check the oil, because it was hiding under some hose, so I couldn't check the oil levels.

After filling up the radiator and reservoir, we hit the road. The vehicle was definitely driving like something was still wrong. I prayed all the way from Dow Village to Maracas, St. Joseph, and then down to St. Augustine where I had a session at church. Along the way, my oil light came on briefly twice, but went back off. When we had a break I called my mechanic and described what I was experiencing. He said if the oil light came on that I needed to check it immediately. He guided me to where I could locate the dipstick.

It took some digging but I finally
found it

So you know how there's an "L" at the bottom of the dipstick and then there's the bend just before the final tip? Well when we checked the oil level it was barely covering the tiny tip! If I had been able to check the oil before I left home, there was no way I would have driven up the highway, and I would have been very late for the session at church by the time I had sorted out the oil. One of my friends from church who helped me replace the oil, when he heard my story, said that he had a new level of faith because of how God came through for me that morning.

This is the message for anyone who sees Mummy's car. It is a reminder of the importance and power of prayer. On a daily basis we take so much for granted as we go through the day. We have no idea how much God is working in the background to keep up safe. Even if bad things happen, we don't know if it could have been worse had God not been on our side. I am so grateful to God for keeping the engine from being destroyed and for taking us up the road and back down safely, and also for my church brothers who helped me refill the oil and ensure there were no leaks.

Lindsey and Keon to the rescue!

Psalm 124:8 - Our help is in the name of the Lord, the maker of heaven and earth.

Bonding in Baltimore

Earlier this year as I was browsing through my emails I noticed one from American Airlines with a summary of my miles. I was tempted to skim over it as I normally do, but something in my spirit caused me to pause and prompted me to read it. When I did, I realised that, due to the fact that I had not traveled with American Airlines for the past 2 years, my miles were going to expire if there was no activity by the end of the week! I had no intention of losing my 27000+ miles, so I decided to book a ticket to see my sister and her family in Baltimore. I didn't think about the timing when I booked the ticket - I just based it on the times I didn't have ministry commitments - but it worked out that I was there to celebrate both my nephews birthdays for the first time!

They were so happy to have an early
morning partner in play

Isaiah and Enoch's birthdates are 6 days apart, so their parents decided to hold one party for them. How do you plan a party for a 1 year old and a 3 year old? Have it at the neighbourhood Tot Lot, where there are toys and space for them and all their little friends to run around freely! I thought it was a brilliant idea, and all the children in attendance did as well. I was so happy to be there to help with the last minute arrangements that needed to be done, as well as to witness the joy and excitement as my nephews shared what I know will be the first of many birthday parties together!

Decorating with helium filled balloons
that matched the sky

Enoch enjoying a swing with his
god sister

Isaiah chose this car and stuck with
it for the majority of the party

Enoch recently learnt to walk so he is still a bit wobbly but he loves the fact that he can move around on his own. He enjoys interacting with his brother, and is already showing an interest in drumming like his daddy. He has the sweetest smile and although his first teeth is still struggling to burst through his gum that does not stop him from eating solid foods. He is quick to imitate sounds he hears and can already say dada, mama and no very clearly. He loves cuddles, and fights sleep like a champion.

Eyes on his big brother

Isaiah is slowly but surely adjusting to his role as big brother. He enjoys following Enoch around when he is crawling, and imitating the sounds he makes as their form of communication. He also likes rough playing with him, and doing things to make him laugh. He is still learning to share his toys and his books though, which anyone who has siblings would know is a struggle. He is passionate about what he loves - drumming, reading and anything related to planes. He is reading at the level of a Kindergartener, even though he hasn't started Pre-K as yet. He is exploring his boundaries, and gets over his disappointments very quickly. He can happily entertain himself, yet enjoys doing activities with others.

Flying his cardboard airplane that
we made together

I really enjoyed the time I could have spent with my nephews, helping them learn to share and obey, and just making them laugh. I was also glad that my sister was able to spend some quality time with her husband for their anniversary for the first time in years while I took care of the boys. I was not thrilled about leaving them, but I thank God for the opportunity I had to bond with them.

Frozen yogurt date :)

I cannot pass through Miami without connecting with my family there. We are related by the blood of Jesus, and our families have been friends from the time I was born. They have embraced me as part of the family, and we have a wonderful time of fellowship whenever we are together. I always leave my time with them being "mutually encouraged by each other's faith" according to Romans 1:12. I thank God so much for making a way for us to spend time together, and for the encouragement I received from my time with them.

Who says you can't celebrate a birthday 3 months after the birthdate?

One of the things I love about God is how He knows what we need, and how He puts things in place in advance to ensure that we receive those things. I am forever grateful for the way He orchestrated all the things that fell in place for this trip to happen, and for the privilege I had of spending quality time with the ones I love abroad.